Whether you’re searching for a luxury escape, a quiet retreat or simply a place to rest your head, you’ll find a variety of accommodations conveniently located throughout the Greenville area that are sure to make your stay as restful as it is memorable.

With more than 300 “event days” each year – from live theatre to outdoor concerts to nationally ranked street festivals – chances are you’ll have to either narrow down your list of activities, or extend your visit!

1/6/17 – 1/8/17

1/7/17

You’ll never be able to say you weren’t warned. One visit to Greenville, South Carolina - one walk down Main Street, one hike through the foothills, one unforgettable meal – is all it takes to fall head over heels in love.

From our convenient southeast location to a tremendous variety of venues, facilities and amenities, accommodations and restaurants, plentiful recreational and entertainment options … well, you get the picture. We’re affordable, convenient and ready for you!

Go ahead. Make your list as long as you want. You’ll never run out of fun activities, surprising discoveries and unforgettable places and experiences that combine to create Greenville memories that will last a lifetime.

From selecting accommodations to reviewing restaurants to figuring out what events to attend, trails to hike and museums to visit, we’ll help make the planning process as much fun as the trip. Well…almost.

From national magazines, to leading newspapers, to network TV, to good old-fashioned word-of-mouth, a lot of people have been saying nice things about Greenville SC. Take a look and see for yourself why Greenville, South Carolina continues to surprise and delight at every turn.

1/1/17 – 2/26/17

1/1/17 – 1/29/17

1/1/17 – 1/16/17

1/5/17 – 1/15/17

1/6/17 – 1/8/17

1/7/17

History

Greenville's Beginnings For centuries, South Carolina's Upcountry was the domain of the Cherokee Indians, who used these lands as hunting grounds. Richard Pearis, Greenville's first settler, arrived in 1770 and eventually built a planta­tion above the Reedy River. Greenville County was created in 1786, with the village of Green­ville Courthouse centered on a log courthouse built in 1795 near the Reedy River. Greenville itself owes its name to Revolutionary War hero Nathanael Greene, who commanded the South­ern forces.

Greenville Grows In 1836 businessman Vardry McBee constructed gristmills on the Reedy River and established cotton manufac­turing, a brickyard and other business­es. He also donated land for the city's first schools and churches. Greenville's economy initially centered on agriculture and small manufactur­ing. In the 1850s, the emergence of Greenville as a center of higher educa­tion (Furman University began holding classes downtown in 1852) and the completion of the railroad line from Columbia transformed the town. Having escaped most of the fighting during the Civil War, Greenville's first textile mill was built in 1876, and by 1910 Greenville had become a cotton town.

New Directions In the 1920s, Alester Furman and other businessmen paved streets, upgraded parks, and established the first hospital and library. The Great Depression of 1929 brought Greenville's economy to a standstill, and local mills experienced massive layoffs. During World War II, a nearby air base (now the South Carolina Technology & Aviation Center, or SCTAC) brought thousands of airmen to the area, including the base's builder, Charles Daniel. In the 1950s and 60s, Daniel, along with Governor Fritz Hol­lings and state Economic Development Coordinator Francis Hipp helped lure northern companies to the Upcountry.

An International Center When French tire manufacturer Michelin chose Greenville as its North American headquarters in 1986, a rush of foreign investment began. German automaker BMW's move here was followed by some 30 suppliers in the early 1990s. Today, 80 internationally owned companies operate in Greenville County alone. Downtown, new multi-use complexes are rising on the skyline, while on Greenville's thriving Eastside, technology is bringing the Upcountry to the forefront of the automotive industry. Clemson University's cutting-edge International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) is well on its way to becoming the world's "premier automotive and motorsports research and educational facility."